Improvement in car-couplings



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. CLARK, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

I Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 151,845, dated June 9, 1874; application filed February 18, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEO. W. CLARK, of Council Blufi's, in the county of Pottawattomie and in the State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, makinga part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a car-coupling, as will be hereinafter more fu ly set forth.

In order'to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, which represents a longitudinal vertical section of my car-coup ling.

A represents the draw-bar, provided with the usual flaring mouth B, and used with the ordinary coupling-link C and pin D. Within the draw-bar A is a sliding bar, G, provided at its front end at the top with a forward-projecting lip, a, and behind the bar is a spring, H, to throw the bar forward. The spring throws the bar G forward until the lip a strikes a shoulder, 12, in the draw-head and stops the same. The lip won the bar or holder G holds the pin D up when the link is out, and holds the inner end of the link down when it is in, thus holding it in a level posi tion. As the link enters it will force back the holder or bar G, and let the pin drop into its place. On top of the bar or holder G is a flat spring, d, to assist in holding the link level. The bar Gr holds the link in a perfectly level position in one bumper or draw-head, and holds the pin out of the way and in proper position to drop through the link as it enters in the other bumper. At the same time the link can move up or down enough to accommodate any unevenness of the road, thus making a good, practical self-car-coupler.

I am aware that a car-coupling having a sliding spring-bar within the draw-head, which is held down by a spring attached to the outside of the draw-head and protrudes through an opening in the same, is not new; hence I disclaim such as being my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with the sliding spring-bar G, with lip a, the spring 61, attached within the bumper A, and acting upon the bar Gr, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of February, 1874.

GEO. WV. CLARK.

Witnesses ERIK RossEN, G. A. HOLMES. 

